Sugar beet loader



Dec. 30, 1941. l R. E.l TILLITT' r2,267,879

SUGAR BEET LOADER Filed Dec. 15. 1959 f ssheets-sheet 1 Dec. 3o, 1941. R, E TM," 2,267,879

SUGAR BEET LOADER l Filed Deo. 13, 1939 3 sneetssheet 2 Dec. 30,1941. R, E. TILLITT A2,267,879

SUGAR BEET LADER Filed Dec. 15A, 1959 5 sheets-sheet s Patented Dec. 30, 1941 UNITED STAT-ES kr s 'r OFFICE This invention relates to loaders and is particularly adapted to pick up sugar beets from the ground surface and convey them into -a transporting vehicle.

The primary object of my invention is to provide means for picking up sugar beets and the like from the ground surface and placing them on conveyors for elevating them into a transporting vehicle. This is accomplished by providing a revolving skeleton type rotor having curved shape forks mounted thereon that pick up the beets and deliver them into the center of the drum from which they are delivered by a conveyor or other suitable mechanism into elevating conveyors.

A further object of my invention is to provide adjustable supporting wheels for the loader mechanism that can be readily manipulated by the operator of the machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide new and novel means of attaching the pick up forks to the revolving drum. p

And a further object of the invention is to provide a compact power and transmission means for operating the different features of the loader.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the drawings, specification and claims to follow.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an assembled side elevation of the loader, having parts broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 4, looking in the direction indicated. This View illustrates the discharge end of the revolving pick up drum in relation to the elevating conveyor.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of the pick up drum and discharge -conveyor from said drum.

Figure 4 is an assembled plan view of my new and improved loader.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional end view of the pick up drum taken on line 5 5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction indicated. This view partially shows the principle of picking up the beets and discharging them through the center of the skeleton drum onto the conveying system.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the machine, taken on line 6 6 of Figure 4, looking in the direction indicated, the pick up drum being partially broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 7 is a detail perspective View of the skeleton pick up drum or rotor, with the pick up lforks detached.

Figure 8` is a fragmentary detail perspective view, illustrating the method of mounting the pick up forks to the rotor.

In the drawings:

My new `and improved loader consists of a main frame I, having an inverted U-shape frame 2 mounted thereon, as by welding at the point 3, or' other suitable means may be employed for fastening. The frame assemblies land 2 are mounted upon the supporting wheels 4. These wheels are adjustable relative to the frame by employing a slidable bearing 5, working within the channel of the frame 2and held in position by the angle bars 6.

A lever l, xedly mounted to the shaft 8 and held in any desired position by the quadrant 9, is connected to the slidable wheel spindle 8A by the connecting Vlink I0. A counterbalancing spring vII is fastened to the frame at I2 at its one end, and to the lever I at I3 at its opposite end. This spring counterbalances the weight of the machine relative to the movable spindle 8Al upon which one of the wheels 4 is mounted.

The shaft 8 connects to the lever I4, which in turn is connected to the sliding spindle 8B by the link I5, therefore by the operation of the lever T, both of the supporting wheels 4 are raised or lowered relative to the frame. The opposite end of the frame I is mounted upon a caster wheel I6. This wheel need not be adjustable for up and down movement.

Referring to Figure 7, I show a perspective end view of the rotor II, consisting of a solid end drum I8, on its one end, and a ring I9 on its opposite end. The drum land ring are connected by angle bars 20 spaced apart. This assembly forms the rotor in a skeleton like construction. In Figure 7, I have shown only the rotor without the curved forks ZI. The forks 2| aremounted to the angle bars, as illustrated in VFigure 8. The forks bend at a rightangleat 22, passing through hole 23 of the angle bar 20, the end of the right angle 24 is also bent at a right angle at 25, entering the hole 26 of the angle bar. A U-bolt 2'I clamps the fork 2I securely to the angle bar, as shown in Figure 8. By attaching the forks in this manner to the angle bar of the rotor, a very rigid and solid construction is provided.

Referring now to Figures 3, 5 and 6, the rotor is mounted within the frame of the machine as follows: A stub shaft 28 projects from the end of the drum I8 and is journaled within the bearing 29, which in turn is mounted to the frame I at 30. The opposite end of the rotor is cradled between and above the rollers 3|, the rollers 3l are mounted to the spindles 32, which are xedly mounted to the framework 33. The rotor is revolved by a sprocket wheel 34, xedly mounted to the stub shaft 28. The sprocket 34 is driven by a chain 35, which in turn is trained about the sprocket 36J which is xedly secured to and driven by the shaft 31, the shaft 31 is driven by the chain 38, the chain 38 is driven by the countershaft 39, the countershaft 39 is driven by the chain 49, which is directly driven from the motor 4I.

Referring back to Figure 5, the machine travels over the ground in the direction of the arrow, and the rotor l1 travels in the direction indicated by the arrows, at the proper speed to pick up the sugar beets 42 within the curved forks 2|. When the beets reach approximately the position of the beet 43, they are dumped through the rotor between the angle bars 20 onto the conveyor 44. The conveyor has side rails 45 for maintaining the beets upon the conveyor. The inner end of the conveyor is supported by a bracket 46, said bracket is journalled to the shaft 41 of the conveyor at its lower end and having its upper end or middle portion 48 journaled to the stub shaft 49 of the drum I8. The opposite end of the conveyor is supported by the bracket 50 and the bracket l to the frame section 33. The conveyor is driven by the gear 52 mounted to the shaft 53 of the conveyor by the gear 54 .xedly mounted to the countershaft 39.

As stated before the primary object of my invention is the picking up of the sugar beets by curved forks being rotated towards the direction of travel, gathering the sugar beets from the ground surface and dumping them through the center of the rotor onto a conveyor which carries them away from the'rotor, the central discharging of the sugar beets into the rotor being one of the vital features of my invention. I would not care to be limited to the particular type of conveyor 44, as other conveying means may be employed still coming within the spirit of my invention.

The operator of the machine may stand on the platform 55, from where he can operate the lever 1 for raising 'or lowering the machine. A

guard or screen 56 is provided forthe protection of the operator relative to the revolving rotor.

When the beets are delivered from the conveyor 44 they are carried away by the elevator conveyor` 51, which is of the usual type used in elevating vegetables and the like. The conveyor is driven by the chain 58 from the countershaft 39. A secondary elevator conveyor, of usual design and construction, is shown at 59. This conveyor elevates the sugar beets into a transporting vehicle or truck and is driven by the beveled gears 6D, shafts 6I and 62. The conveyor just described may be of any suitable design, as I do not wish to be limited to the form shown.

, travel.

These conveyors are mounted upon the frame of the machine by suitable supporting means 63 and brace 64. The power plant 4l drives the countershaft 39 through the drive chain 40. The chain 38 drives the shaft 31, which in turn drives the rotor I1 through the chain 35 in the direction indicated. As stated before the countershaft 39 also drives the conveyors 51 and 59, best shown in Figure 4.

Downwardly extending curved forks 65 are provided for directing any of the beets that should travel around the rotor back into the line of These forks are mounted to the cross angle bar G6 in the same manner as the forks 2| are mounted to the rotor.

I do not wish to be limited to the particular mechanical construction as shown and described, as other forms of mechanical embodiment may be employed, still coming within the scope of the claims to follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A loader for vegetables and the like including a frame, ground wheels for supporting the frame, a drum mounted for rotation relative to the frame, said drum including a cylindrical body closed at one end and open at the opposite end, the peripheral boundary of the body being made up of spaced longitudinal bars, pick-up elements removably connected to the longitudinal bars, and an endless conveyor mounted within the drum on a plane below the longitudinal central line of the drum and having a width vapproximating the transverse dimension of the drum in vthe plane of the conveyor, means for rotating the drum, and a connection operative by said means for feeding the upper flight of the conveyor in a direction toward and beyond the open end of the drum.

2.. A construction as defined in claim 1 wherein the bars forming the peripheral boundary of the drum are angle bars, and wherein the pickup elements are of wire-like form, removably secured `at each of two `distinct points to the angle bars.

3.'A construction as defined in claim 1, wherein the pick-up elements are of wire-like form, extending radially from the drum for a distance exceeding the normal size of the vegetable to be loaded, the elements remote from the drum bedrum, the shaft being extended within the drum,

and means mounted on the shaft and extending therefrom in both directions for supporting the proximate end of the conveyor.

- RALPH E. I'ILLITT. 

